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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. charge — in control
  6. club — a group
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. row — to paddle
  10. branch — a division
  11. wake — a trail
  12. club — for golf
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — a line
  15. charge — electricity
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. charge — a price
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — to crush
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. club — for dancing
  24. squash — the sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com